-This is ../info/lispref.info, produced by makeinfo version 3.12s from
+This is ../info/lispref.info, produced by makeinfo version 4.0 from
lispref/lispref.texi.
INFO-DIR-SECTION XEmacs Editor
Foundation instead of in the original English.
\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Parsing Expressions, Next: Standard Syntax Tables, Prev: Motion and Syntax, Up: Syntax Tables
+
+Parsing Balanced Expressions
+============================
+
+ Here are several functions for parsing and scanning balanced
+expressions, also known as "sexps", in which parentheses match in
+pairs. The syntax table controls the interpretation of characters, so
+these functions can be used for Lisp expressions when in Lisp mode and
+for C expressions when in C mode. *Note List Motion::, for convenient
+higher-level functions for moving over balanced expressions.
+
+ - Function: parse-partial-sexp start limit &optional target-depth
+ stop-before state stop-comment buffer
+ This function parses a sexp in the current buffer starting at
+ START, not scanning past LIMIT. It stops at position LIMIT or
+ when certain criteria described below are met, and sets point to
+ the location where parsing stops. It returns a value describing
+ the status of the parse at the point where it stops.
+
+ If STATE is `nil', START is assumed to be at the top level of
+ parenthesis structure, such as the beginning of a function
+ definition. Alternatively, you might wish to resume parsing in the
+ middle of the structure. To do this, you must provide a STATE
+ argument that describes the initial status of parsing.
+
+ If the third argument TARGET-DEPTH is non-`nil', parsing stops if
+ the depth in parentheses becomes equal to TARGET-DEPTH. The depth
+ starts at 0, or at whatever is given in STATE.
+
+ If the fourth argument STOP-BEFORE is non-`nil', parsing stops
+ when it comes to any character that starts a sexp. If
+ STOP-COMMENT is non-`nil', parsing stops when it comes to the
+ start of a comment.
+
+ The fifth argument STATE is an eight-element list of the same form
+ as the value of this function, described below. The return value
+ of one call may be used to initialize the state of the parse on
+ another call to `parse-partial-sexp'.
+
+ The result is a list of eight elements describing the final state
+ of the parse:
+
+ 0. The depth in parentheses, counting from 0.
+
+ 1. The character position of the start of the innermost
+ parenthetical grouping containing the stopping point; `nil'
+ if none.
+
+ 2. The character position of the start of the last complete
+ subexpression terminated; `nil' if none.
+
+ 3. Non-`nil' if inside a string. More precisely, this is the
+ character that will terminate the string.
+
+ 4. `t' if inside a comment (of either style).
+
+ 5. `t' if point is just after a quote character.
+
+ 6. The minimum parenthesis depth encountered during this scan.
+
+ 7. `t' if inside a comment of style "b".
+
+ Elements 0, 3, 4, 5 and 7 are significant in the argument STATE.
+
+ This function is most often used to compute indentation for
+ languages that have nested parentheses.
+
+ - Function: scan-lists from count depth &optional buffer noerror
+ This function scans forward COUNT balanced parenthetical groupings
+ from character number FROM. It returns the character position
+ where the scan stops.
+
+ If DEPTH is nonzero, parenthesis depth counting begins from that
+ value. The only candidates for stopping are places where the
+ depth in parentheses becomes zero; `scan-lists' counts COUNT such
+ places and then stops. Thus, a positive value for DEPTH means go
+ out DEPTH levels of parenthesis.
+
+ Scanning ignores comments if `parse-sexp-ignore-comments' is
+ non-`nil'.
+
+ If the scan reaches the beginning or end of the buffer (or its
+ accessible portion), and the depth is not zero, an error is
+ signaled. If the depth is zero but the count is not used up,
+ `nil' is returned.
+
+ If optional arg BUFFER is non-`nil', scanning occurs in that
+ buffer instead of in the current buffer.
+
+ If optional arg NOERROR is non-`nil', `scan-lists' will return
+ `nil' instead of signalling an error.
+
+ - Function: scan-sexps from count &optional buffer noerror
+ This function scans forward COUNT sexps from character position
+ FROM. It returns the character position where the scan stops.
+
+ Scanning ignores comments if `parse-sexp-ignore-comments' is
+ non-`nil'.
+
+ If the scan reaches the beginning or end of (the accessible part
+ of) the buffer in the middle of a parenthetical grouping, an error
+ is signaled. If it reaches the beginning or end between groupings
+ but before count is used up, `nil' is returned.
+
+ If optional arg BUFFER is non-`nil', scanning occurs in that
+ buffer instead of in the current buffer.
+
+ If optional arg NOERROR is non-`nil', `scan-sexps' will return nil
+ instead of signalling an error.
+
+ - Variable: parse-sexp-ignore-comments
+ If the value is non-`nil', then comments are treated as whitespace
+ by the functions in this section and by `forward-sexp'.
+
+ In older Emacs versions, this feature worked only when the comment
+ terminator is something like `*/', and appears only to end a
+ comment. In languages where newlines terminate comments, it was
+ necessary make this variable `nil', since not every newline is the
+ end of a comment. This limitation no longer exists.
+
+ You can use `forward-comment' to move forward or backward over one
+comment or several comments.
+
+ - Function: forward-comment count &optional buffer
+ This function moves point forward across COUNT comments (backward,
+ if COUNT is negative). If it finds anything other than a comment
+ or whitespace, it stops, leaving point at the place where it
+ stopped. It also stops after satisfying COUNT.
+
+ Optional argument BUFFER defaults to the current buffer.
+
+ To move forward over all comments and whitespace following point, use
+`(forward-comment (buffer-size))'. `(buffer-size)' is a good argument
+to use, because the number of comments in the buffer cannot exceed that
+many.
+
+\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Standard Syntax Tables, Next: Syntax Table Internals, Prev: Parsing Expressions, Up: Syntax Tables
+
+Some Standard Syntax Tables
+===========================
+
+ Most of the major modes in XEmacs have their own syntax tables. Here
+are several of them:
+
+ - Function: standard-syntax-table
+ This function returns the standard syntax table, which is the
+ syntax table used in Fundamental mode.
+
+ - Variable: text-mode-syntax-table
+ The value of this variable is the syntax table used in Text mode.
+
+ - Variable: c-mode-syntax-table
+ The value of this variable is the syntax table for C-mode buffers.
+
+ - Variable: emacs-lisp-mode-syntax-table
+ The value of this variable is the syntax table used in Emacs Lisp
+ mode by editing commands. (It has no effect on the Lisp `read'
+ function.)
+
+\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Syntax Table Internals, Prev: Standard Syntax Tables, Up: Syntax Tables
+
+Syntax Table Internals
+======================
+
+ Each element of a syntax table is an integer that encodes the syntax
+of one character: the syntax class, possible matching character, and
+flags. Lisp programs don't usually work with the elements directly; the
+Lisp-level syntax table functions usually work with syntax descriptors
+(*note Syntax Descriptors::).
+
+ The low 8 bits of each element of a syntax table indicate the syntax
+class.
+
+Integer
+ Class
+
+0
+ whitespace
+
+1
+ punctuation
+
+2
+ word
+
+3
+ symbol
+
+4
+ open parenthesis
+
+5
+ close parenthesis
+
+6
+ expression prefix
+
+7
+ string quote
+
+8
+ paired delimiter
+
+9
+ escape
+
+10
+ character quote
+
+11
+ comment-start
+
+12
+ comment-end
+
+13
+ inherit
+
+ The next 8 bits are the matching opposite parenthesis (if the
+character has parenthesis syntax); otherwise, they are not meaningful.
+The next 6 bits are the flags.
+
+\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Abbrevs, Next: Extents, Prev: Syntax Tables, Up: Top
+
+Abbrevs And Abbrev Expansion
+****************************
+
+ An abbreviation or "abbrev" is a string of characters that may be
+expanded to a longer string. The user can insert the abbrev string and
+find it replaced automatically with the expansion of the abbrev. This
+saves typing.
+
+ The set of abbrevs currently in effect is recorded in an "abbrev
+table". Each buffer has a local abbrev table, but normally all buffers
+in the same major mode share one abbrev table. There is also a global
+abbrev table. Normally both are used.
+
+ An abbrev table is represented as an obarray containing a symbol for
+each abbreviation. The symbol's name is the abbreviation; its value is
+the expansion; its function definition is the hook function to do the
+expansion (*note Defining Abbrevs::); its property list cell contains
+the use count, the number of times the abbreviation has been expanded.
+Because these symbols are not interned in the usual obarray, they will
+never appear as the result of reading a Lisp expression; in fact,
+normally they are never used except by the code that handles abbrevs.
+Therefore, it is safe to use them in an extremely nonstandard way.
+*Note Creating Symbols::.
+
+ For the user-level commands for abbrevs, see *Note Abbrev Mode:
+(emacs)Abbrevs.
+
+* Menu:
+
+* Abbrev Mode:: Setting up XEmacs for abbreviation.
+* Tables: Abbrev Tables. Creating and working with abbrev tables.
+* Defining Abbrevs:: Specifying abbreviations and their expansions.
+* Files: Abbrev Files. Saving abbrevs in files.
+* Expansion: Abbrev Expansion. Controlling expansion; expansion subroutines.
+* Standard Abbrev Tables:: Abbrev tables used by various major modes.
+
+\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Abbrev Mode, Next: Abbrev Tables, Up: Abbrevs
+
+Setting Up Abbrev Mode
+======================
+
+ Abbrev mode is a minor mode controlled by the value of the variable
+`abbrev-mode'.
+
+ - Variable: abbrev-mode
+ A non-`nil' value of this variable turns on the automatic expansion
+ of abbrevs when their abbreviations are inserted into a buffer.
+ If the value is `nil', abbrevs may be defined, but they are not
+ expanded automatically.
+
+ This variable automatically becomes local when set in any fashion.
+
+ - Variable: default-abbrev-mode
+ This is the value of `abbrev-mode' for buffers that do not
+ override it. This is the same as `(default-value 'abbrev-mode)'.
+
+\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Abbrev Tables, Next: Defining Abbrevs, Prev: Abbrev Mode, Up: Abbrevs
+
+Abbrev Tables
+=============
+
+ This section describes how to create and manipulate abbrev tables.
+
+ - Function: make-abbrev-table
+ This function creates and returns a new, empty abbrev table--an
+ obarray containing no symbols. It is a vector filled with zeros.
+
+ - Function: clear-abbrev-table table
+ This function undefines all the abbrevs in abbrev table TABLE,
+ leaving it empty. The function returns `nil'.
+
+ - Function: define-abbrev-table tabname definitions
+ This function defines TABNAME (a symbol) as an abbrev table name,
+ i.e., as a variable whose value is an abbrev table. It defines
+ abbrevs in the table according to DEFINITIONS, a list of elements
+ of the form `(ABBREVNAME EXPANSION HOOK USECOUNT)'. The value is
+ always `nil'.
+
+ - Variable: abbrev-table-name-list
+ This is a list of symbols whose values are abbrev tables.
+ `define-abbrev-table' adds the new abbrev table name to this list.
+
+ - Function: insert-abbrev-table-description name &optional human
+ This function inserts before point a description of the abbrev
+ table named NAME. The argument NAME is a symbol whose value is an
+ abbrev table. The value is always `nil'.
+
+ If HUMAN is non-`nil', the description is human-oriented.
+ Otherwise the description is a Lisp expression--a call to
+ `define-abbrev-table' that would define NAME exactly as it is
+ currently defined.
+
+\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Defining Abbrevs, Next: Abbrev Files, Prev: Abbrev Tables, Up: Abbrevs
+
+Defining Abbrevs
+================
+
+ These functions define an abbrev in a specified abbrev table.
+`define-abbrev' is the low-level basic function, while `add-abbrev' is
+used by commands that ask for information from the user.
+
+ - Function: add-abbrev table type arg
+ This function adds an abbreviation to abbrev table TABLE based on
+ information from the user. The argument TYPE is a string
+ describing in English the kind of abbrev this will be (typically,
+ `"global"' or `"mode-specific"'); this is used in prompting the
+ user. The argument ARG is the number of words in the expansion.
+
+ The return value is the symbol that internally represents the new
+ abbrev, or `nil' if the user declines to confirm redefining an
+ existing abbrev.
+
+ - Function: define-abbrev table name expansion hook
+ This function defines an abbrev in TABLE named NAME, to expand to
+ EXPANSION, and call HOOK. The return value is an uninterned
+ symbol that represents the abbrev inside XEmacs; its name is NAME.
+
+ The argument NAME should be a string. The argument EXPANSION
+ should be a string, or `nil' to undefine the abbrev.
+
+ The argument HOOK is a function or `nil'. If HOOK is non-`nil',
+ then it is called with no arguments after the abbrev is replaced
+ with EXPANSION; point is located at the end of EXPANSION when HOOK
+ is called.
+
+ The use count of the abbrev is initialized to zero.
+
+ - User Option: only-global-abbrevs
+ If this variable is non-`nil', it means that the user plans to use
+ global abbrevs only. This tells the commands that define
+ mode-specific abbrevs to define global ones instead. This
+ variable does not alter the behavior of the functions in this
+ section; it is examined by their callers.
+
+\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Abbrev Files, Next: Abbrev Expansion, Prev: Defining Abbrevs, Up: Abbrevs
+
+Saving Abbrevs in Files
+=======================
+
+ A file of saved abbrev definitions is actually a file of Lisp code.
+The abbrevs are saved in the form of a Lisp program to define the same
+abbrev tables with the same contents. Therefore, you can load the file
+with `load' (*note How Programs Do Loading::). However, the function
+`quietly-read-abbrev-file' is provided as a more convenient interface.
+
+ User-level facilities such as `save-some-buffers' can save abbrevs
+in a file automatically, under the control of variables described here.
+
+ - User Option: abbrev-file-name
+ This is the default file name for reading and saving abbrevs.
+
+ - Function: quietly-read-abbrev-file filename
+ This function reads abbrev definitions from a file named FILENAME,
+ previously written with `write-abbrev-file'. If FILENAME is
+ `nil', the file specified in `abbrev-file-name' is used.
+ `save-abbrevs' is set to `t' so that changes will be saved.
+
+ This function does not display any messages. It returns `nil'.
+
+ - User Option: save-abbrevs
+ A non-`nil' value for `save-abbrev' means that XEmacs should save
+ abbrevs when files are saved. `abbrev-file-name' specifies the
+ file to save the abbrevs in.
+
+ - Variable: abbrevs-changed
+ This variable is set non-`nil' by defining or altering any
+ abbrevs. This serves as a flag for various XEmacs commands to
+ offer to save your abbrevs.
+
+ - Command: write-abbrev-file filename
+ Save all abbrev definitions, in all abbrev tables, in the file
+ FILENAME, in the form of a Lisp program that when loaded will
+ define the same abbrevs. This function returns `nil'.
+
+\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Abbrev Expansion, Next: Standard Abbrev Tables, Prev: Abbrev Files, Up: Abbrevs
+
+Looking Up and Expanding Abbreviations
+======================================
+
+ Abbrevs are usually expanded by commands for interactive use,
+including `self-insert-command'. This section describes the
+subroutines used in writing such functions, as well as the variables
+they use for communication.
+
+ - Function: abbrev-symbol abbrev &optional table
+ This function returns the symbol representing the abbrev named
+ ABBREV. The value returned is `nil' if that abbrev is not
+ defined. The optional second argument TABLE is the abbrev table
+ to look it up in. If TABLE is `nil', this function tries first
+ the current buffer's local abbrev table, and second the global
+ abbrev table.
+
+ - Function: abbrev-expansion abbrev &optional table
+ This function returns the string that ABBREV would expand into (as
+ defined by the abbrev tables used for the current buffer). The
+ optional argument TABLE specifies the abbrev table to use, as in
+ `abbrev-symbol'.
+
+ - Command: expand-abbrev
+ This command expands the abbrev before point, if any. If point
+ does not follow an abbrev, this command does nothing. The command
+ returns `t' if it did expansion, `nil' otherwise.
+
+ - Command: abbrev-prefix-mark &optional arg
+ Mark current point as the beginning of an abbrev. The next call to
+ `expand-abbrev' will use the text from here to point (where it is
+ then) as the abbrev to expand, rather than using the previous word
+ as usual.
+
+ - User Option: abbrev-all-caps
+ When this is set non-`nil', an abbrev entered entirely in upper
+ case is expanded using all upper case. Otherwise, an abbrev
+ entered entirely in upper case is expanded by capitalizing each
+ word of the expansion.
+
+ - Variable: abbrev-start-location
+ This is the buffer position for `expand-abbrev' to use as the start
+ of the next abbrev to be expanded. (`nil' means use the word
+ before point instead.) `abbrev-start-location' is set to `nil'
+ each time `expand-abbrev' is called. This variable is also set by
+ `abbrev-prefix-mark'.
+
+ - Variable: abbrev-start-location-buffer
+ The value of this variable is the buffer for which
+ `abbrev-start-location' has been set. Trying to expand an abbrev
+ in any other buffer clears `abbrev-start-location'. This variable
+ is set by `abbrev-prefix-mark'.
+
+ - Variable: last-abbrev
+ This is the `abbrev-symbol' of the last abbrev expanded. This
+ information is left by `expand-abbrev' for the sake of the
+ `unexpand-abbrev' command.
+
+ - Variable: last-abbrev-location
+ This is the location of the last abbrev expanded. This contains
+ information left by `expand-abbrev' for the sake of the
+ `unexpand-abbrev' command.
+
+ - Variable: last-abbrev-text
+ This is the exact expansion text of the last abbrev expanded,
+ after case conversion (if any). Its value is `nil' if the abbrev
+ has already been unexpanded. This contains information left by
+ `expand-abbrev' for the sake of the `unexpand-abbrev' command.
+
+ - Variable: pre-abbrev-expand-hook
+ This is a normal hook whose functions are executed, in sequence,
+ just before any expansion of an abbrev. *Note Hooks::. Since it
+ is a normal hook, the hook functions receive no arguments.
+ However, they can find the abbrev to be expanded by looking in the
+ buffer before point.
+
+ The following sample code shows a simple use of
+`pre-abbrev-expand-hook'. If the user terminates an abbrev with a
+punctuation character, the hook function asks for confirmation. Thus,
+this hook allows the user to decide whether to expand the abbrev, and
+aborts expansion if it is not confirmed.
+
+ (add-hook 'pre-abbrev-expand-hook 'query-if-not-space)
+
+ ;; This is the function invoked by `pre-abbrev-expand-hook'.
+
+ ;; If the user terminated the abbrev with a space, the function does
+ ;; nothing (that is, it returns so that the abbrev can expand). If the
+ ;; user entered some other character, this function asks whether
+ ;; expansion should continue.
+
+ ;; If the user answers the prompt with `y', the function returns
+ ;; `nil' (because of the `not' function), but that is
+ ;; acceptable; the return value has no effect on expansion.
+
+ (defun query-if-not-space ()
+ (if (/= ?\ (preceding-char))
+ (if (not (y-or-n-p "Do you want to expand this abbrev? "))
+ (error "Not expanding this abbrev"))))
+
+\1f
+File: lispref.info, Node: Standard Abbrev Tables, Prev: Abbrev Expansion, Up: Abbrevs
+
+Standard Abbrev Tables
+======================
+
+ Here we list the variables that hold the abbrev tables for the
+preloaded major modes of XEmacs.
+
+ - Variable: global-abbrev-table
+ This is the abbrev table for mode-independent abbrevs. The abbrevs
+ defined in it apply to all buffers. Each buffer may also have a
+ local abbrev table, whose abbrev definitions take precedence over
+ those in the global table.
+
+ - Variable: local-abbrev-table
+ The value of this buffer-local variable is the (mode-specific)
+ abbreviation table of the current buffer.
+
+ - Variable: fundamental-mode-abbrev-table
+ This is the local abbrev table used in Fundamental mode; in other
+ words, it is the local abbrev table in all buffers in Fundamental
+ mode.
+
+ - Variable: text-mode-abbrev-table
+ This is the local abbrev table used in Text mode.
+
+ - Variable: c-mode-abbrev-table
+ This is the local abbrev table used in C mode.
+
+ - Variable: lisp-mode-abbrev-table
+ This is the local abbrev table used in Lisp mode and Emacs Lisp
+ mode.
+
+\1f
File: lispref.info, Node: Extents, Next: Specifiers, Prev: Abbrevs, Up: Top
Extents
information, *Note Annotations::.
If an extent has its `detachable' property set, it will become
-"detached" (i.e. no longer in the buffer) when all its text its
-deleted. Otherwise, it will simply shrink down to zero-length and sit
-it the same place in the buffer. By default, the `detachable' property
-is set on newly-created extents. *Note Detached Extents::.
+"detached" (i.e. no longer in the buffer) when all its text is deleted.
+Otherwise, it will simply shrink down to zero-length and sit in the
+same place in the buffer. By default, the `detachable' property is set
+on newly-created extents. *Note Detached Extents::.
If an extent has its `duplicable' property set, it will be
remembered when a string is created from text bounded by the extent.
The following low-level functions are provided for explicitly
traversing the extents in a buffer according to the display order.
-These functions are mostly intended for debugging - in normal
-operation, you should probably use `mapcar-extents' or `map-extents',
-or loop using the BEFORE argument to `extent-at', rather than creating
-a loop using `next-extent'.
+These functions are mostly intended for debugging--in normal operation,
+you should probably use `mapcar-extents' or `map-extents', or loop
+using the BEFORE argument to `extent-at', rather than creating a loop
+using `next-extent'.
- Function: next-extent extent
Given an extent EXTENT, this function returns the next extent in
This function returns T if `map-extents' would visit EXTENT if
called with the given arguments.
-\1f
-File: lispref.info, Node: Extent Properties, Next: Detached Extents, Prev: Mapping Over Extents, Up: Extents
-
-Properties of Extents
-=====================
-
- Each extent has a property list associating property names with
-values. Some property names have predefined meanings, and can usually
-only assume particular values. Assigning other values to such a
-property either cause the value to be converted into a legal value
-(e.g., assigning anything but `nil' to a Boolean property will cause
-the value of `t' to be assigned to the property) or will cause an
-error. Property names without predefined meanings can be assigned any
-value. An undefined property is equivalent to a property with a value
-of `nil', or with a particular default value in the case of properties
-with predefined meanings. Note that, when an extent is created, the
-`end-open' and `detachable' properties are set on it.
-
- If an extent has a parent, all of its properties actually derive
-from that parent (or from the root ancestor if the parent in turn has a
-parent), and setting a property of the extent actually sets that
-property on the parent. *Note Extent Parents::.
-
- - Function: extent-property extent property
- This function returns the value of PROPERTY in EXTENT. If
- PROPERTY is undefined, `nil' is returned.
-
- - Function: extent-properties extent
- This function returns a list of all of EXTENT's properties that do
- not have the value of `nil' (or the default value, for properties
- with predefined meanings).
-
- - Function: set-extent-property extent property value
- This function sets PROPERTY to VALUE in EXTENT. (If PROPERTY has a
- predefined meaning, only certain values are allowed, and some
- values may be converted to others before being stored.)
-
- - Function: set-extent-properties extent plist
- Change some properties of EXTENT. PLIST is a property list. This
- is useful to change many extent properties at once.
-
- The following table lists the properties with predefined meanings,
-along with their allowable values.
-
-`detached'
- (Boolean) Whether the extent is detached. Setting this is the
- same as calling `detach-extent'. *Note Detached Extents::.
-
-`destroyed'
- (Boolean) Whether the extent has been deleted. Setting this is
- the same as calling `delete-extent'.
-
-`priority'
- (integer) The extent's redisplay priority. Defaults to 0. *Note
- priority: Intro to Extents. This property can also be set with
- `set-extent-priority' and accessed with `extent-priority'.
-
-`start-open'
- (Boolean) Whether the start position of the extent is open,
- meaning that characters inserted at that position go outside of
- the extent. *Note Extent Endpoints::.
-
-`start-closed'
- (Boolean) Same as `start-open' but with the opposite sense.
- Setting this property clears `start-open' and vice-versa.
-
-`end-open'
- (Boolean) Whether the end position of the extent is open, meaning
- that characters inserted at that position go outside of the
- extent. This is `t' by default. *Note Extent Endpoints::.
-
-`end-closed'
- (Boolean) Same as `end-open' but with the opposite sense. Setting
- this property clears `end-open' and vice-versa.
-
-`read-only'
- (Boolean) Whether text within this extent will be unmodifiable.
-
-`face'
- (face, face name, list of faces or face names, or `nil') The face
- in which to display the extent's text. This property can also be
- set with `set-extent-face' and accessed with `extent-face'. Note
- that if a list of faces is specified, the faces are merged
- together, with faces earlier in the list having priority over
- faces later in the list.
-
-`mouse-face'
- (face, face name, list of faces or face names, or `nil') The face
- used to display the extent when the mouse moves over it. This
- property can also be set with `set-extent-mouse-face' and accessed
- with `extent-mouse-face'. Note that if a list of faces is
- specified, the faces are merged together, with faces earlier in
- the list having priority over faces later in the list. *Note
- Extents and Events::.
-
-`pointer'
- (pointer glyph) The glyph used as the pointer when the mouse
- moves over the extent. This takes precedence over the
- `text-pointer-glyph' and `nontext-pointer-glyph' variables. If
- for any reason this glyph is an invalid pointer, the standard
- glyphs will be used as fallbacks. *Note Mouse Pointer::.
-
-`detachable'
- (Boolean) Whether this extent becomes detached when all of the
- text it covers is deleted. This is `t' by default. *Note
- Detached Extents::.
-
-`duplicable'
- (Boolean) Whether this extent should be copied into strings, so
- that kill, yank, and undo commands will restore or copy it. *Note
- Duplicable Extents::.
-
-`unique'
- (Boolean) Meaningful only in conjunction with `duplicable'. When
- this is set, there may be only one instance of this extent
- attached at a time. *Note Duplicable Extents::.
-
-`invisible'
- (Boolean) If `t', text under this extent will not be displayed -
- it will look as if the text is not there at all.
-
-`keymap'
- (keymap or `nil') This keymap is consulted for mouse clicks on this
- extent or keypresses made while `point' is within the extent.
- *Note Extents and Events::.
-
-`copy-function'
- This is a hook that is run when a duplicable extent is about to be
- copied from a buffer to a string (or the kill ring). *Note
- Duplicable Extents::.
-
-`paste-function'
- This is a hook that is run when a duplicable extent is about to be
- copied from a string (or the kill ring) into a buffer. *Note
- Duplicable Extents::.
-
-`begin-glyph'
- (glyph or `nil') This extent's begin glyph. *Note Annotations::.
-
-`end-glyph'
- (glyph or `nil') This extent's end glyph. *Note Annotations::.
-
-`begin-glyph-layout'
- (`text', `whitespace', `inside-margin', or `outside-margin') The
- layout policy for this extent's begin glyph. Defaults to `text'.
- *Note Annotations::.
-
-`end-glyph-layout'
- (`text', `whitespace', `inside-margin', or `outside-margin') The
- layout policy for this extent's end glyph. Defaults to `text'.
- *Note Annotations::.
-
-`initial-redisplay-function'
- (any funcallable object) The function to be called the first time
- (a part of) the extent is redisplayed. It will be called with the
- extent as its argument.
-
- This is used by `lazy-shot' to implement lazy font-locking. The
- functionality is still experimental, and may change without further
- notice.
-
- The following convenience functions are provided for accessing
-particular properties of an extent.
-
- - Function: extent-face extent
- This function returns the `face' property of EXTENT. This might
- also return a list of face names. Do not modify this list
- directly! Instead, use `set-extent-face'.
-
- Note that you can use `eq' to compare lists of faces as returned
- by `extent-face'. In other words, if you set the face of two
- different extents to two lists that are `equal' but not `eq', then
- the return value of `extent-face' on the two extents will return
- the identical list.
-
- - Function: extent-mouse-face extent
- This function returns the `mouse-face' property of EXTENT. This
- might also return a list of face names. Do not modify this list
- directly! Instead, use `set-extent-mouse-face'.
-
- Note that you can use `eq' to compare lists of faces as returned
- by `extent-mouse-face', just like for `extent-face'.
-
- - Function: extent-priority extent
- This function returns the `priority' property of EXTENT.
-
- - Function: extent-keymap extent
- This function returns the `keymap' property of EXTENT.
-
- - Function: extent-begin-glyph-layout extent
- This function returns the `begin-glyph-layout' property of EXTENT,
- i.e. the layout policy associated with the EXTENT's begin glyph.
-
- - Function: extent-end-glyph-layout extent
- This function returns the `end-glyph-layout' property of EXTENT,
- i.e. the layout policy associated with the EXTENT's end glyph.
-
- - Function: extent-begin-glyph extent
- This function returns the `begin-glyph' property of EXTENT, i.e.
- the glyph object displayed at the beginning of EXTENT. If there
- is none, `nil' is returned.
-
- - Function: extent-end-glyph extent
- This function returns the `end-glyph' property of EXTENT, i.e. the
- glyph object displayed at the end of EXTENT. If there is none,
- `nil' is returned.
-
- The following convenience functions are provided for setting
-particular properties of an extent.
-
- - Function: set-extent-priority extent pri
- This function sets the `priority' property of EXTENT to PRI.
-
- - Function: set-extent-face extent face
- This function sets the `face' property of EXTENT to FACE.
-
- - Function: set-extent-mouse-face extent face
- This function sets the `mouse-face' property of EXTENT to FACE.
-
- - Function: set-extent-keymap extent keymap
- This function sets the `keymap' property of EXTENT to KEYMAP.
- KEYMAP must be either a keymap object, or `nil'.
-
- - Function: set-extent-begin-glyph-layout extent layout
- This function sets the `begin-glyph-layout' property of EXTENT to
- LAYOUT.
-
- - Function: set-extent-end-glyph-layout extent layout
- This function sets the `end-glyph-layout' property of EXTENT to
- LAYOUT.
-
- - Function: set-extent-begin-glyph extent begin-glyph &optional layout
- This function sets the `begin-glyph' and `glyph-layout' properties
- of EXTENT to BEGIN-GLYPH and LAYOUT, respectively. (LAYOUT
- defaults to `text' if not specified.)
-
- - Function: set-extent-end-glyph extent end-glyph &optional layout
- This function sets the `end-glyph' and `glyph-layout' properties
- of EXTENT to END-GLYPH and LAYOUT, respectively. (LAYOUT defaults
- to `text' if not specified.)
-
- - Function: set-extent-initial-redisplay-function extent function
- This function sets the `initial-redisplay-function' property of the
- extent to FUNCTION.
-
-\1f
-File: lispref.info, Node: Detached Extents, Next: Extent Parents, Prev: Extent Properties, Up: Extents
-
-Detached Extents
-================
-
- A detached extent is an extent that is not attached to a buffer or
-string but can be re-inserted. Detached extents have a start position
-and end position of `nil'. Extents can be explicitly detached using
-`detach-extent'. An extent is also detached when all of its characters
-are all killed by a deletion, if its `detachable' property is set; if
-this property is not set, the extent becomes a zero-length extent.
-(Zero-length extents with the `detachable' property set behave
-specially. *Note zero-length extents: Extent Endpoints.)
-
- - Function: detach-extent extent
- This function detaches EXTENT from its buffer or string. If
- EXTENT has the `duplicable' property, its detachment is tracked by
- the undo mechanism. *Note Duplicable Extents::.
-
- - Function: extent-detached-p extent
- This function returns `nil' if EXTENT is detached, and `t'
- otherwise.
-
- - Function: copy-extent extent &optional object
- This function makes a copy of EXTENT. It is initially detached.
- Optional argument OBJECT defaults to EXTENT's object (normally a
- buffer or string, but could be `nil').
-
- - Function: insert-extent extent &optional start end no-hooks object
- This function inserts EXTENT from START to END in OBJECT (a buffer
- or string). If EXTENT is detached from a different buffer or
- string, or in most cases when EXTENT is already attached, the
- extent will first be copied as if with `copy-extent'. This
- function operates the same as if `insert' were called on a string
- whose extent data calls for EXTENT to be inserted, except that if
- NO-HOOKS is non-`nil', EXTENT's `paste-function' will not be
- invoked. *Note Duplicable Extents::.
-
-\1f
-File: lispref.info, Node: Extent Parents, Next: Duplicable Extents, Prev: Detached Extents, Up: Extents
-
-Extent Parents
-==============
-
- An extent can have a parent extent set for it. If this is the case,
-the extent derives all its properties from that extent and has no
-properties of its own. The only "properties" that the extent keeps are
-the buffer or string it refers to and the start and end points. (More
-correctly, the extent's own properties are shadowed. If you later
-change the extent to have no parent, its own properties will become
-visible again.)
-
- It is possible for an extent's parent to itself have a parent, and
-so on. Through this, a whole tree of extents can be created, all
-deriving their properties from one root extent. Note, however, that
-you cannot create an inheritance loop - this is explicitly disallowed.
-
- Parent extents are used to implement the extents over the modeline.
-
- - Function: set-extent-parent extent parent
- This function sets the parent of EXTENT to PARENT. If PARENT is
- `nil', the extent is set to have no parent.
-
- - Function: extent-parent extent
- This function return the parents (if any) of EXTENT, or `nil'.
-
- - Function: extent-children extent
- This function returns a list of the children (if any) of EXTENT.
- The children of an extent are all those extents whose parent is
- that extent. This function does not recursively trace children of
- children.
-
- - Function: extent-descendants extent
- This function returns a list of all descendants of EXTENT,
- including EXTENT. This recursively applies `extent-children' to
- any children of EXTENT, until no more children can be found.
-
-\1f
-File: lispref.info, Node: Duplicable Extents, Next: Extents and Events, Prev: Extent Parents, Up: Extents
-
-Duplicable Extents
-==================
-
- If an extent has the `duplicable' property, it will be copied into
-strings, so that kill, yank, and undo commands will restore or copy it.
-
- Specifically:
-
- * When a string is created using `buffer-substring' or
- `buffer-string', any duplicable extents in the region corresponding
- to the string will be copied into the string (*note Buffer
- Contents::). When the string in inserted into a buffer using
- `insert', `insert-before-markers', `insert-buffer' or
- `insert-buffer-substring', the extents in the string will be copied
- back into the buffer (*note Insertion::). The extents in a string
- can, of course, be retrieved explicitly using the standard extent
- primitives over the string.
-
- * Similarly, when text is copied or cut into the kill ring, any
- duplicable extents will be remembered and reinserted later when
- the text is pasted back into a buffer.
-
- * When `concat' is called on strings, the extents in the strings are
- copied into the resulting string.
-
- * When `substring' is called on a string, the relevant extents are
- copied into the resulting string.
-
- * When a duplicable extent is detached by `detach-extent' or string
- deletion, or inserted by `insert-extent' or string insertion, the
- action is recorded by the undo mechanism so that it can be undone
- later. Note that if an extent gets detached and then a later undo
- causes the extent to get reinserted, the new extent will not be
- `eq' to the original extent.
-
- * Extent motion, face changes, and attachment via `make-extent' are
- not recorded by the undo mechanism. This means that extent changes
- which are to be undo-able must be performed by character editing,
- or by insertion and detachment of duplicable extents.
-
- * A duplicable extent's `copy-function' property, if non-`nil',
- should be a function, and will be run when a duplicable extent is
- about to be copied from a buffer to a string (or the kill ring).
- It is called with three arguments: the extent and the buffer
- positions within it which are being copied. If this function
- returns `nil', then the extent will not be copied; otherwise it
- will.
-
- * A duplicable extent's `paste-function' property, if non-`nil',
- should be a function, and will be run when a duplicable extent is
- about to be copied from a string (or the kill ring) into a buffer.
- It is called with three arguments: the original extent and the
- buffer positions which the copied extent will occupy. (This hook
- is run after the corresponding text has already been inserted into
- the buffer.) Note that the extent argument may be detached when
- this function is run. If this function returns `nil', no extent
- will be inserted. Otherwise, there will be an extent covering the
- range in question.
-
- Note: if the extent to be copied is already attached to the buffer
- and overlaps the new range, the extent will simply be extended and
- the `paste-function' will not be called.
-
-\1f
-File: lispref.info, Node: Extents and Events, Next: Atomic Extents, Prev: Duplicable Extents, Up: Extents
-
-Interaction of Extents with Keyboard and Mouse Events
-=====================================================
-
- If an extent has the `mouse-face' property set, it will be
-highlighted when the mouse passes over it. Highlighting is accomplished
-by merging the extent's face with the face or faces specified by the
-`mouse-face' property. The effect is as if a pseudo-extent with the
-`mouse-face' face were inserted after the extent in the display order
-(*note Extent Endpoints::, display order).
-
- - Variable: mouse-highlight-priority
- This variable holds the priority to use when merging in the
- highlighting pseudo-extent. The default is 1000. This is
- purposely set very high so that the highlighting pseudo-extent
- shows up even if there are other extents with various priorities
- at the same location.
-
- You can also explicitly cause an extent to be highlighted. Only one
-extent at a time can be highlighted in this fashion, and any other
-highlighted extent will be de-highlighted.
-
- - Function: highlight-extent extent &optional highlight-p
- This function highlights (if HIGHLIGHT-P is non-`nil') or
- de-highlights (if HIGHLIGHT-P is `nil') EXTENT, if EXTENT has the
- `mouse-face' property. (Nothing happens if EXTENT does not have
- the `mouse-face' property.)
-
- - Function: force-highlight-extent extent &optional highlight-p
- This function is similar to `highlight-extent' but highlights or
- de-highlights the extent regardless of whether it has the
- `mouse-face' property.
-
- If an extent has a `keymap' property, this keymap will be consulted
-for mouse clicks on the extent and keypresses made while `point' is
-within the extent. The behavior of mouse clicks and keystrokes not
-defined in the keymap is as normal for the buffer.
-
-\1f
-File: lispref.info, Node: Atomic Extents, Prev: Extents and Events, Up: Extents
-
-Atomic Extents
-==============
-
- If the Lisp file `atomic-extents' is loaded, then the atomic extent
-facility is available. An "atomic extent" is an extent for which
-`point' cannot be positioned anywhere within it. This ensures that
-when selecting text, either all or none of the extent is selected.
-
- To make an extent atomic, set its `atomic' property.
-
-\1f
-File: lispref.info, Node: Specifiers, Next: Faces and Window-System Objects, Prev: Extents, Up: Top
-
-Specifiers
-**********
-
- A specifier is an object used to keep track of a property whose value
-may vary depending on the particular situation (e.g. particular buffer
-displayed in a particular window) that it is used in. The value of many
-built-in properties, such as the font, foreground, background, and such
-properties of a face and variables such as `modeline-shadow-thickness'
-and `top-toolbar-height', is actually a specifier object. The
-specifier object, in turn, is "instanced" in a particular situation to
-yield the real value of the property in that situation.
-
- - Function: specifierp object
- This function returns non-`nil' if OBJECT is a specifier.
-
-* Menu:
-
-* Introduction to Specifiers:: Specifiers provide a clean way for
- display and other properties to vary
- (under user control) in a wide variety
- of contexts.
-* Specifiers In-Depth:: Gory details about specifier innards.
-* Specifier Instancing:: Instancing means obtaining the ``value'' of
- a specifier in a particular context.
-* Specifier Types:: Specifiers come in different flavors.
-* Adding Specifications:: Specifications control a specifier's ``value''
- by giving conditions under which a
- particular value is valid.
-* Retrieving Specifications:: Querying a specifier's specifications.
-* Specifier Tag Functions:: Working with specifier tags.
-* Specifier Instancing Functions::
- Functions to instance a specifier.
-* Specifier Example:: Making all this stuff clearer.
-* Creating Specifiers:: Creating specifiers for your own use.
-* Specifier Validation Functions::
- Validating the components of a specifier.
-* Other Specification Functions::
- Other ways of working with specifications.
-
-\1f
-File: lispref.info, Node: Introduction to Specifiers, Next: Specifiers In-Depth, Up: Specifiers
-
-Introduction to Specifiers
-==========================
-
- Sometimes you may want the value of a property to vary depending on
-the context the property is used in. A simple example of this in XEmacs
-is buffer-local variables. For example, the variable
-`modeline-format', which controls the format of the modeline, can have
-different values depending on the particular buffer being edited. The
-variable has a default value which most modes will use, but a
-specialized package such as Calendar might change the variable so as to
-tailor the modeline to its own purposes.
-
- Other properties (such as those that can be changed by the
-`modify-frame-parameters' function, for example the color of the text
-cursor) can have frame-local values, although it might also make sense
-for them to have buffer-local values. In other cases, you might want
-the property to vary depending on the particular window within the
-frame that applies (e.g. the top or bottom window in a split frame), the
-device type that that frame appears on (X or tty), etc. Perhaps you can
-envision some more complicated scenario where you want a particular
-value in a specified buffer, another value in all other buffers
-displayed on a particular frame, another value in all other buffers
-displayed in all other frames on any mono (two-color, e.g. black and
-white only) displays, and a default value in all other circumstances.
-
- A "specifier" is a generalization of this, allowing a great deal of
-flexibility in controlling exactly what value a property has in which
-circumstances. It is most commonly used for display properties, such as
-an image or the foreground color of a face. As a simple example, you
-can specify that the foreground of the default face be
-
- * blue for a particular buffer
-
- * green for all other buffers
-
- As a more complicated example, you could specify that the foreground
-of the default face be
-
- * forest green for all buffers displayed in a particular Emacs
- window, or green if the X server doesn't recognize the color
- `forest green'
-
- * blue for all buffers displayed in a particular frame
-
- * red for all other buffers displayed on a color device
-
- * white for all other buffers
-
-\1f
-File: lispref.info, Node: Specifiers In-Depth, Next: Specifier Instancing, Prev: Introduction to Specifiers, Up: Specifiers
-
-In-Depth Overview of a Specifier
-================================
-
- A specifier object encapsulates a set of "specifications", each of
-which says what its value should be if a particular condition applies.
-For example, one specification might be "The value should be
-darkseagreen2 on X devices" another might be "The value should be blue
-in the *Help* buffer". In specifier terminology, these conditions are
-called "locales" and the values are called "instantiators". Given a
-specifier, a logical question is "What is its value in a particular
-situation?" This involves looking through the specifications to see
-which ones apply to this particular situation, and perhaps preferring
-one over another if more than one applies. In specifier terminology, a
-"particular situation" is called a "domain", and determining its value
-in a particular domain is called "instancing". Most of the time, a
-domain is identified by a particular window. For example, if the
-redisplay engine is drawing text in the default face in a particular
-window, it retrieves the specifier for the foreground color of the
-default face and "instances" it in the domain given by that window; in
-other words, it asks the specifier, "What is your value in this
-window?".
-
- More specifically, a specifier contains a set of "specifications",
-each of which associates a "locale" (a window object, a buffer object,
-a frame object, a device object, or the symbol `global') with an
-"inst-list", which is a list of one or more "inst-pairs". (For each
-possible locale, there can be at most one specification containing that
-locale.) Each inst-pair is a cons of a "tag set" (an unordered list of
-zero or more symbols, or "tags") and an "instantiator" (the allowed
-form of this varies depending on the type of specifier). In a given
-specification, there may be more than one inst-pair with the same tag
-set; this is unlike for locales.
-
- The tag set is used to restrict the sorts of devices over which the
-instantiator is valid and to uniquely identify instantiators added by a
-particular application, so that different applications can work on the
-same specifier and not interfere with each other. Each tag can have a
-"predicate" associated with it, which is a function of one argument (a
-device) that specifies whether the tag matches that particular device.
-(If a tag does not have a predicate, it matches all devices.) All tags
-in a tag set must match a device for the associated inst-pair to be
-instantiable over that device. (A null tag set is perfectly valid.)
-
- The valid device types (normally `x', `tty', and `stream') and
-device classes (normally `color', `grayscale', and `mono') can always
-be used as tags, and match devices of the associated type or class
-(*note Consoles and Devices::). User-defined tags may be defined, with
-an optional predicate specified. An application can create its own
-tag, use it to mark all its instantiators, and be fairly confident that
-it will not interfere with other applications that modify the same
-specifier - Functions that add a specification to a specifier usually
-only overwrite existing inst-pairs with the same tag set as was given,
-and a particular tag or tag set can be specified when removing
-instantiators.
-
- When a specifier is instanced in a domain, both the locale and the
-tag set can be viewed as specifying necessary conditions that must
-apply in that domain for an instantiator to be considered as a possible
-result of the instancing. More specific locales always override more
-general locales (thus, there is no particular ordering of the
-specifications in a specifier); however, the tag sets are simply
-considered in the order that the inst-pairs occur in the
-specification's inst-list.
-
- Note also that the actual object that results from the instancing
-(called an "instance object") may not be the same as the instantiator
-from which it was derived. For some specifier types (such as integer
-specifiers and boolean specifiers), the instantiator will be returned
-directly as the instance object. For other types, however, this is not
-the case. For example, for font specifiers, the instantiator is a
-font-description string and the instance object is a font-instance
-object, which describes how the font is displayed on a particular
-device. A font-instance object encapsulates such things as the actual
-font name used to display the font on that device (a font-description
-string under X is usually a wildcard specification that may resolve to
-different font names, with possibly different foundries, widths, etc.,
-on different devices), the extra properties of that font on that
-device, etc. Furthermore, this conversion (called "instantiation")
-might fail - a font or color might not exist on a particular device,
-for example.
-